China ‘driving global chip sales’
China’s
growing demand for computers and mobile phones will fuel strong growth
in the global microchip market, an industry body has said.Worldwide
chip sales are expected to rise by 8.6% next year and then grow 12.1%
in 2008, the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) has
forecast.The Asia-Pacific region will account for most of the growth,
led by China.But the body has revised down its 2006 growth forecast
from 10.1% to 8.5% because of weak second quarter sales.Intel, the
world’s largest chipmaker, struggled with production and supply
problems earlier this year although it has since reported record
shipments of chips for mobile phones and computer servers.Growth
forecasts for 2008 were predicated on a “challenging yet generally
healthy world economy”, WSTS added.